


Especially You

by NeptunianLily



Category: Love Live! School Idol Project, Love Live! Sunshine!!
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Lesbian Character, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-16
Updated: 2017-07-16
Packaged: 2018-12-02 20:24:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,348
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11516793
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NeptunianLily/pseuds/NeptunianLily
Summary: Chika and Riko assuage each other's insecurities.





	Especially You

"Everyone always wonders why You-chan or Kanan-chan are even friends with me," Chika admitted, her shoulder nested comfortably against Riko's in the dark. The words were both heavy and freeing to say out loud. "They're really popular and have a lot of talents, and a lot of girls are always trying to talk to them more—and I'm always around, just being my plain, average self."  
  
Before Chika had even finished, Riko was already shaking her head vehemently, her whole body tensing with it. "Chika-chan, you should know by now you're anything but average! You're the most extraordinary person I know." Chika blushed, glad that Riko couldn't see how red her face just got, and Riko pressed on with her voice a little shakier. "A-and you're really talented! No one else could be a more motivating leader for Aqours."  
  
Chika hunched in on herself a little. "I still don't really know what I'm doing as a leader. I'm just stumbling blindly into everything."  
  
Riko leaned more firmly into her shoulder. "You're the one who keeps us all moving forward no matter what. And—" her voiced softened, sweetened—" _you're_ the only one who could have made me love piano again the way I do."  
  
The sincerity rolled off of her like a wave, and sank straight into Chika's heart. Her eyes prickled abruptly with wetness, and she took a breath, slowly moving her hand from her lap towards Riko, tentative knuckles brushing barely against the peach fuzz of Riko's leg. "That was you in the end, Riko-chan," she murmured.  
  
Riko's hand tenderly found hers, and she laced her slim fingers between Chika's. "I needed _you_ ," Riko murmured back, and Chika's heart glowed.  
  
They sat together in silence, their backs against the wall of Riko's room, their legs stretched along the width of her bed, their hands warmly clasped. Then Riko confessed, "I loved Otonokizaka, but I don't think my old friends there really cared about me. I was always texting first, but when I got busy with moving and stopped texting anyone, no one tried to talk to me at all. I thought we were friends when we saw each other at school every day, but I guess I was just totally forgettable."  
  
Chika felt a surge of anger at Riko's Tokyo "friends". "Well, those jerks didn't deserve you then!" she exclaimed, then lowered her voice to a hiss when Riko squeezed her hand warningly. "If they could let a friendship with someone as amazing as you go, they're idiots. Besides, if you ever traveled away—I don't even want to think about it, I'd miss you so much. But even if you traveled to the ends of the earth, I'd want to know all about your day... if you're happy... all that stuff."  
  
Riko made a quiet, pleased sound. "I'm so lucky I met such great friends in Uchiura." She paused for half a beat, then she said, "Especially you, Chika-chan."  
  
A flutter of joy chased away her anger as quickly as it had come. She rubbed her thumb over Riko's. "It's a miracle for us that we got to meet _you_."  
  
Another cozy silence settled between them. Then, spurred by the turn of the conversation, Chika said, "I know I act pretty hyperactive, running around to everyone all _'waaah!'_ and _'gyoom'!_ " She gestured expansively with one hand, then tilted her eyes towards Riko, satisfied when Riko giggled prettily. Chika beamed and carried on, "But sometimes I do get tired out by it all. I still have to keep it up, but sometimes I wish I could just take a rest... Or sometimes I wish I could just be alone with you, like this."  
  
"I understand," Riko replied softly, and Chika felt her hand cupped suddenly between both of Riko's. "I get overwhelmed too, being around people sometimes. So if you need time alone, I'll understand. Or if you're feeling different from your usual, I don't mind. I'll take as much of the real Chika-chan as I can get."  
  
"Riko-chan..." Chika whispered, heartfelt. "Same for you, okay?"  
  
"Mm."  
  
Riko started to trace circles and swirls onto the back of Chika's hand, leaving pleasant tingles over Chika's skin. Then Riko moved her hand away and took a deep, steadying breath. Chika felt Riko trembling minutely along the length of her arm, and her stomach dipped in anticipation of whatever made Riko so nervous to say.  
  
Then: "I don't like boys," Riko admitted, barely a breath of sound in the silent room. Her other hand slackened weakly in Chika's grip, as if giving Chika the choice to let go.  
  
Chika didn't quite understand, but she tightened her hand around Riko's instead. "Huh?" she blurted. "Do you mean you're scared of them, like with dogs?"  
  
Riko tensed. "No," she said, "I mean, I don't _like_ them—I don't ever want a boyfriend. I don't want to marry a man. I'm... a girl who will never fall in love with a boy, and I won't change my mind." Her breaths came quickly, and her voice sounded tight.  
  
"Oh," Chika answered. She leaned her head back carefully against the wall, her thoughts quick and elusive. She felt inexplicably flushed. At last she said, "Good."  
  
Riko jolted slightly, turning to look towards her in the dark. "What?"  
  
"I'm glad you won't fall in love with some boy. I bet you've been confessed to a lot, since you're such a beauty..." She meant for the words to come out lightly, but somehow her heart had gotten tangled up in her voice along the way. She barreled on, "But it would be weird if any of us got a boyfriend while we're all school idols together, right? But... I'm especially glad that _you'll_ never fall for a boy, or like some boy better than me, even when we're out of school. Wow, isn't that selfish of me?" Chika laughed faintly, heart pounding.  
  
Riko sniffed. "Not at all," she said thickly. "I'm happy. I'm really happy you think that." She squeezed Chika's hand with renewed strength. They were leaned against each other, but Chika huddled closer, wanting to be as close to Riko as possible. Riko pressed similarly towards Chika; their smallest toes knocked against each other.  
  
Chika bubbled a laugh, which morphed midway into a yawn. She laughed again, ruefully. "I don't want to go to bed, but I think I'll have to if I want to be any use at practice tomorrow," she said.  
  
Riko huffed fondly. "And school, too," she chided, endearment lacing her words.  
  
"Nahhh." Chika grinned, then stifled another yawn.  
  
Riko seemed to hesitate, before saying, "You could just sleep here, if you want? I-if you don't want to go back up through the ryokan—and you are _not_ jumping back across if you're tired!"  
  
"Are you sure I can stay?" Chika knew she should protest, but she couldn't keep the blatant hope out of her voice.  
  
"As long as you're sure you're okay with..." Riko trailed off.  
  
Chika would hardly have given her a chance to finish her sentence even if she had continued. "I'm sure if you're sure! Thank you, Riko-chan!" she enthused.  
  
"Yes, I'm sure," Riko replied, a smile evident in her voice, and then she said, much softer—"Thank you, Chika-chan."  
  
Chika's heart swelled for what felt like the millionth time. Riko could always make her feel so _much_. "That's settled, then. Let's have a great sleep, and a great practice tomorrow."  
  
"And a productive day at school," Riko teased.  
  
"Well _that's_ not going to happen." They both laughed, and then they shuffled around each other to settle into Riko's bed; Riko slid her pillow firmly but wordlessly to Chika, taking a decorative pillow for herself. Chika knew she should protest this too, but she was actually a little excited about sleeping on Riko's pillow.  
  
Beside her, Riko nuzzled—adorably, Chika thought—into her blankets, her face mostly hidden. "Good night, Chika-chan," she mumbled.  
  
Affection washed over Chika one last time for the night. She sighed happily. "Good night, Riko-chan," she replied, and slowly drifted off to sleep.


End file.
